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Check this out

Yea it seems anything I post about I get PM SPAM now from some company rep about it! Like in another thread I was talking about calling customers to verify orders...well wouldn't you know some rep for a call center company PM'ed me !!! Anyway, I'm reporting all PM SPAM to forum moderators!

Now here is an instance where FastClick does say FOR LIFE, CHECK THIS OUT!

There is also a Referral Program to maximize your income if you promote Fastclick through your website. Fastclick pays lifetime fees for referred Publishers (5% of earnings) AND referred Advertisers (5% of campaign budgets, indefinitely!).

So there you have it. There they said LIFETIME for publisher referals and "indefinitely" for advertiser referals!

So in 2000 they gave no end point at all. In 2001 they said in writing LIFETIME, then in 2002 they changed to "indefinitely". Now they are trying to change to 12 months!

So I figure at least any referrals before they changed the wording in 2002 should be FOR LIFE!

Of course! If you place a link on your site to the Fastclick network, we will pay you a lifetime fee: 5% of the earnings for any referred Publishers accepted into the network, and 5% of the campaign budget for any referred Advertisers--indefinitely!

We thought it was probably time to step in--we've been following the development of this thread throughout the week, here and on related forums, and want to let you know that we absolutely appreciate your concerns. This kind of decision is never easy, and we recognize the impact it carries for a number of our publishers. We are continuing to work on other opportunities to drive revenue to you, but we are also happy to recommend some immediate solutions to those who are interested by reviewing your Fastclick account directly with you. Please contact us at publish@fastclick.com and include "Account Review" in the subject.

I think long term you are damaging your program. You are fighting a two front war here.

1) Your members who are content site owners first, will become leary. You are in no uncertain terms going back on a long standing promise. When does for life, not mean for life? What else will you do to them in the future?

2) Your members who are ad banner directory owners, who have spent a lot of those referral funds praising your program, and have been THE backbone and the best advertising you ever would have had.

It would be so easy to save face, and just grandfather the existing referrals. Due to natural attrition, a lifetime of referral payments is a dubious prospect anyway, as people switch networks and move to other ones over time. I've seen it happen in lulls of referral activity.

Instead, you are violating the trust of your publishers and your biggest backers and will have a reputation of changing the rules as you see fit. I have no issue with 'going forward' kind of changes, but when you go back on a promise (contract or not), that's the worst kind of thing you can do for your company, and the ensuring bad will will cost more than those referral fees ever did.

Originally Posted by Matt - Fastclick

We thought it was probably time to step in--we've been following the development of this thread throughout the week, here and on related forums, and want to let you know that we absolutely appreciate your concerns. This kind of decision is never easy, and we recognize the impact it carries for a number of our publishers. We are continuing to work on other opportunities to drive revenue to you, but we are also happy to recommend some immediate solutions to those who are interested by reviewing your Fastclick account directly with you. Please contact us at publish@fastclick.com and include "Account Review" in the subject.

don't you just hate it when reps from ad companies responding publishers with these types of vague languages?
Fastclick is now just being like adsense?
sends you a e-mail, "OH Buddy you're kicked out of the program cuz you cheat, and HAHA, i'm not gonna tell you why and how you cheated, you're out, byebye, if you have any problems, e-mail us"
and then when you send them an e-mail, they copy and paste one of those pre-typed letters and send it back to u, which is useless
dont u just hate it

Originally Posted by Matt - Fastclick

We thought it was probably time to step in--we've been following the development of this thread throughout the week, here and on related forums, and want to let you know that we absolutely appreciate your concerns. This kind of decision is never easy, and we recognize the impact it carries for a number of our publishers. We are continuing to work on other opportunities to drive revenue to you, but we are also happy to recommend some immediate solutions to those who are interested by reviewing your Fastclick account directly with you. Please contact us at publish@fastclick.com and include "Account Review" in the subject.

What would be interesting is if some one faxed a copy of this thread with a pertinent synopsis to Thomas Weisel Partners (ATTN: Christa Quarles), Credit Suisse First Boston (ATTN: Heath Terry), Jefferies and Company (ATTN: Youssef Squali). The analysts that actively cover Fastclick.

Even hints of a class action alleging fraud basically equal death for seasoned public companies, let alone a fresh technology IPO.

What would be interesting is if some one faxed a copy of this thread with a pertinent synopsis to Thomas Weisel Partners (ATTN: Christa Quarles), Credit Suisse First Boston (ATTN: Heath Terry), Jefferies and Company (ATTN: Youssef Squali). The analysts that actively cover Fastclick.

Even hints of a class action alleging fraud basically equal death for seasoned public companies, let alone a fresh technology IPO.

I do not wish for FC to die, they banner system(although it serves crappy banners) is still making a good default for casale. I just want them to reinstate the old referral program. Otherwise, I will just send ore referrals to casale.

I do not wish for FC to die, they banner system(although it serves crappy banners) is still making a good default for casale. I just want them to reinstate the old referral program. Otherwise, I will just send ore referrals to casale.

Hey, he calls it like he sees it. Personally, I agree -- I've been a Fastclick publisher since October 2001, and the current quality of banners is just horrendous. YOU WIN YOU WIN YOU WIN....well, you know what, I'm tired of being a winner, and so is everyone else. Fastclick needs to start getting some reputable companies on board rather than extending the grasp of the "special offer" and "free stuff" and other somewhat shady affiliate schemes. Where's the value for the user? Are they getting free $500 gift cards, Louis Vuitton bags, or portable DVD players? Seriously now, if they were, then these wouldn't be profitable campaigns. Call me old-fashioned (ugh, and I'm barely 21) but I believe that the content *and* the ads should strive to deliver value to the consumer. The best salesmen truly believe in their products. Do you believe in what you're selling your visitors with Fastclick?

You get the best on board when you have the publisher base to back it up. Currently Fastclick is doing things that make it appear they want that publisher base to go to their competition.

Fastclick went public on the backs of publishers and many who referred thousands of other publishers. Now Fastclick is turning their back from what helped them grow.

I see far more "winners" and plenty of "FLASHING" in Fastclick's future.

If Fastclick dies tomorrow there is always CaSale and others out there looking for publsihers. Fastclick was not the first ad company I ever worked with and in this game you learn THEY WON'T BE THE LAST!

Well, I was expecting to come back from a weekend trip, and here more from FastClick about this. At least some discussion about what we have all said.

Ive talked to quite a few publishers now who are discussing changing to another company, even if they don't have referrals at FastClick. It seems they view this kind of move as "shady", and are worried about their future earnings also.

Casale seems to be the other network that everyone loves, but are there any other reputable banner networks I should be researching?

Burst and Tribal Fusion are the other 2 top tier networks in my opinion.
There used to be 4 top networks, but lately fastclick have had a few problems
1) Trojans in pops (very very rare and quickly sorted - but still!)
2) 'loading in progress' delays on stats (annoying)
3) Renegading on referral program (shady?)
4) Witholding 30% of revenue from international publishers for some reason or other (this I haven't had an email about yet - but from recent performance am expecting one soon).